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“I’m a good judge of people and I know what I’m looking for.”
She didn’t know if she should be happy with that or not.
“Tell me more of what you heard.”
“I can’t remember all of it.” She didn’t always go into the library when her father was in his office. She didn’t want to raise suspicion, and at times her brothers were so incredibly nosy. She didn’t like them.
She told him of the recent conversations she did overhear. Before her father had told her of her upcoming marriage, she heard them in his office. They were laughing about how pathetic it was that Boone was going to be married to the ugly daughter. That was what they called her. Her father had laughed and said at least there was going to be some use for her, even if it was to one of their enemies. She was not worth anything.
Lucia hadn’t even cried. It wasn’t like she hadn’t heard it all before. All of his cruel insults had been thrown her way many times. They were easy for her to listen to.
After she finished, Boone sat back, and she looked at him.
“Are you angry at me?”
“Why would I be angry at you?”
“Because I knew this and I didn’t warn you.”
He continued to stare at her. “Lucia, I am only going to say this once, and you are going to believe me. I married the person I wanted. Your father didn’t manipulate me. He didn’t give me a choice. I made sure he knew there was only one person I wanted, and he was the one who thought I was getting stitched up. I knew what I was doing. I had to get you out of there, because I didn’t want you to be in the way of the fallout.”
“Fallout?”
“Lucia, I am going to bring the Bonaldis down to their knees. I don’t like them. I don’t like what they stand for. They are all going to suffer and pay for their sins. If you were still there, you would be in the line of fire, and that is not something I can accept.”
He got to his feet.
“Go and get dressed. I want to leave in five minutes.”
“You want to leave?” she asked.
She didn’t know what to do with the information he had just given her. Bonaldi was going to be brought to his knees. That didn’t seem possible to her. He’d been ruling the Italian mafia, including her father, for as long as she could remember. She didn’t believe it was possible for Bonaldi to be brought down. She didn’t know if she should warn Boone.
“Get dressed. You’re coming with me.”
“Wait ... I am?”
“Yes.”
This was exciting and terrifying at the same time. “Boone, you can’t bring Bonaldi down.” The very idea of it sounded ridiculous. She had been aware of other organizations attempting to remove him from power. The Bonaldis had so many men in high places in their pocket. She didn’t want anything to happen to her husband.
He reached out and placed a hand on top of hers. “Have a little faith.”
****
Testing Lucia was all part of his plan. Boone didn’t know for sure if he could trust her completely. He also knew she had been part of the Bonaldis ever since she was born. She has known no other way of life. However, the simple fact that she was also willing to tell him about conversations she overheard said a lot.
Now, all he needed to do was set a few little tests to see if she would succumb to what she knew. If she did, he’d be disappointed, as there would be no future for the two of them.
Bonaldi was going down, whether they liked it or not.
The only reason he had married Lucia was because he had noticed her. He’d seen her. She didn’t know what he did, but he had a way of finding out everything he needed on anyone. He had contacts in many places. There had been footage captured of Lucia’s treatment. From the moment he saw her father take a belt to her in the backyard, Boone knew he was going to change her life. All he had to do was make it happen.
Now, he had set his sights on a bigger piece of the pie.
He didn’t want the Bonaldis for himself. He wanted to bring them down once and for all. Over the years he had seen the destruction they created. For a long time, he tried to ignore it, but now, they would be brought down.
After finishing his meal, he let Lucia go and get changed, and he finished cleaning up the dishes. Once that was done, he pulled out his cell phone and checked his emails. There was nothing of any concern, and afterward he gave instructions to his men on what they were doing today.